How attractive a third-division club like Hansa Rostock is, but also how many coaches are unemployed, was once again demonstrated by the second-division relegated team’s search for a coach.

Daniel Brinkmann has taken over from Bernd Hollerbach at FC Hansa Rostock since November 2, 2024. In his first game as Hansa coach, Brinkmann and his team lost to SC Verl. He wants to get the Hansa ship back into shape during the international break.

There were another 69 coaches who would have liked to have done the same. Amir Shapourzadeh, Rostock’s sporting director, revealed to the Ostsee-Zeitung newspaper that there were 70 applicants for the coaching position after Hollerbach’s dismissal, including Brinkmann, who won the race.

Why did Shapourzadeh choose Brinkmann? His answer: “He has gained sufficient experience in dealing with very young, but also with established players. Daniel has good qualities, he is pragmatic, straightforward and stress-resistant. He has clear ideas and a high level of tactical understanding. And: he is a real team player.”

Shapourzadeh continues: “It is important for a club to have a direction and a clear plan in order to achieve sustainable success. We are currently in the process of doing just that and are looking at how the sub-areas of athletics, performance and scouting should look in the future.”

Even though game one under Brinkmann went wrong with 0:1 in Verl, the Hansa managers immediately recognized the new handwriting. Shapourzadeh is full of praise: “The adjustments made by our coaching team have paid off immediately. Especially after the half-time talk and tactical changes, we got into the game much better and were close to scoring the opening goal.”

After the international break, the second division relegated team, which currently ranks 15th with 16 points, will face Arminia Bielefeld (H). Before the winter break, there were still duels against TSV 1860 Munich (A), SV Sandhausen (H), Energie Cottbus (A) and Hannover 96 II (H).